Jimmie Johnson is set to compete in just three more races before concluding his NASCAR Cup Series career. The seven-time champion announced on Saturday that the 2027 Daytona 500 will mark his final appearance in the top level of NASCAR. This season, he will race in the Daytona 500 on Sunday and take part in the first-ever San Diego road course event this summer.
Johnson is expected to receive a NASCAR provisional entry for the 2027 Daytona 500, a spot granted under a rule introduced last year to allow notable drivers entry by expanding the starting grid. This rule was initially created to accommodate Helio Castroneves, who attempted to qualify for the 2025 Daytona 500 as a newcomer from IndyCar.
Sunday’s event will be Johnson’s 701st start in the Cup Series. He reached his 700th start at the Coca-Cola 600 last May but was forced to retire early after completing only 111 of the 400 laps due to a crash.
Although Johnson officially retired from full-time Cup racing after the 2020 season, he has competed part-time over the last three years while serving as a co-owner of Legacy Motor Club. This team, formerly known as Richard Petty Motorsports, fields full-time entries for Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek under the Toyota banner. Legacy plans to expand to three full-time cars in 2027, with Johnson driving a fourth car in the Daytona 500.
During the 2000s, Johnson was the dominant driver in the Cup Series, capturing five consecutive championships from 2006 to 2010, then adding titles in 2013 and 2016. Over that five-year championship streak, he accumulated 35 wins and consistently finished in the top 10 at least 22 times each season.
Johnson is one of only three drivers—alongside Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt—to win seven Cup Series championships. His 83 career Cup wins rank sixth all-time, tied with Cale Yarborough, behind legends such as Petty, David Pearson, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Allison, and Darrell Waltrip.
Fan Take:
Jimmie Johnson’s farewell to full-time racing is a defining moment for NASCAR, marking the end of an era dominated by one of the sport’s greatest competitors. His final races will draw massive attention and set the stage for the next generation to build on the legacy he helped create.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
